5.3/10/10 Essex County Council flood management risk assessment: Members noted that Essex County Council had asked the Parish Council to provide it with details of any areas in the parish which were susceptible to flooding so that it could prepare a new local strategy to effectively manage the risk of surface water flooding i.e. flooding caused by rainfall rather than from the coast or main rivers overflowing.

It was agreed to inform Essex County Council that the following locations in the parish were susceptible to surface water flooding:

Location: Lodge Lane/Chelmsford Road junction (outside The Limes)

Reason: Faulty drainage system. (Recently, partial kerbing has been installed in front of The Limes to reduce the risk of it being flooded again, but the effectiveness of the kerbing has yet to be tested).

Location: Birchwood Road between Little Montrose Riding Stables and Kent Wood

Reason: Total lack of maintenance of the roadside ditches, which as a result have silted up and have been rendered useless.

Location: Simmons Lane/Barons Lane junction

Reason: Lack of maintenance of the roadside ditch by the Environment Agency and an inadequate culvert under Barons Lane. The build up of water here then floods across the field to the east and floods across Fambridge Road by its junction with Blind Lane.

Location: Maldon Road (in the vicinity of Hazelmere - the only house in the parish which repeatedly floods during periods of heavy rainfall)

Reason: Inadequate culvert under the road by Hazelmere, and a missed opportunity to divert surface water from the recently developed Mapledean Industrial Estate into Deadaway Brook. The surface water from the new development has been allowed to flow into roadside ditches instead, thus increasing the pressure on an already deficient drainage system.

Location: Howe Greed Road (opposite Chesters)

Reason: The perpetual surface water is caused by a blocked drain and/or culvert.

Location: The Street (in the railway cutting)

Reason: Overgrown grips.

Location: Round Bush Lay-by (floods in wet weather opposite the post box and to the side of 2, Silsons Cottages, Fambridge Road)

Reason: Inappropriate resurfacing of the lay-by (tarmac’ lower than the drains in places) and blocked ditches.

Location: Slough Lane (in the vicinity of the bridge)

Reason: Topography.

Location: Church Hill/Pump Lane junction (particularly Valley Stores and Post Office)

Reason: Lack of maintenance of the roadside ditch in Pump Lane.

Location: Walton Hall Lane (in the vicinity of Hoot House)

Reason: Blocked grips.

5.4/10/10 Other highway matters: Tables and benches on the roadside verge adjacent to The Bell Public House: Members noted that concern had been expressed that tables and benches to seat customers had been put out on the roadside verge adjacent to the south side of The Bell Public House, where they adversely affected the privacy of neighbouring properties.

It was agreed to write to the Highways Authority asking them to investigate the matter.

Sunken drain, The Street: It was agreed to report a very deep sunken drain outside Aylesbury Barn to Essex County Council and to ask them to take urgent remedial action.

Superfluous Telephone Box sign: It was agreed to ask the County Council to remove the now redundant Telephone Box sign from the Round Bush lay-by.

6.1/10/10 Children’s Play Area: Monthly report: Mr. Perriman reported that he had carried out his weekly inspections of the Children’s Play Area and that all items of play equipment therein appeared to be in a satisfactory condition and that there was no evidence of mole activity. The spring on the gate remained broken however.

6.2/10/10 To consider providing a hard surface on the cricket club shed for ball games: Members noted that Purleigh Cricket Club had great concerns over the proposal to provide a hard surface on the cricket club shed for ball games. According to the Cricket Club the shed was only just adequate anyway and if balls were kicked against it, they would inevitably go over the top and hit the roof of the shed which was not very strong.

In addition, the club was in the process of putting in a practice net on the other side of the shed, which would mean that balls would continually land on it. The club were also concerned about the impact of the noise on the occupants of properties in The Glebe whose houses backed on the playing field near the shed. The Parish Council noted that the Cricket Club had cleared the old net posts at the bottom of the playing field and its suggestion that as the hard base there was no longer used it would be an ideal place to erect a play wall. Members noted that the club also felt that the ball games being played in the road at the moment were just a craze and that constructing a wall may not prevent them from continuing.

Having thoroughly investigated the advantages and disadvantages of installing a hard surface for ball games to be played against on the playing field, it was agreed not to pursue the matter. Mr. Oliver agreed to inform Mr. Steeples (Chairman, Purleigh Playing Field Association) of the Parish Council’s decision.

When informing the Cricket Club of the Parish Council’s decision, the Clerk would ask Mr. Elliott to remove the old mats and carpet which the club were storing in the corner of the pavilion, now that the season was over.

6.3/10/10 Other playing field and open space matters: Oak tree, Lodge Lane: Members noted that in response to another request from the Parish Council for updated information regarding the highly valued specimen Oak tree in Lodge Lane, Jackie Gilbert (Tree Officer, Maldon District Council) had advised that she had written to Marishal Thompson on 28th July asking for answers to specific questions relating to the reports they had sent her.  Mrs. Gilbert was still waiting for a response, but as she expected the company to have to get answers from more than one source, was not too concerned about the time it was taking to receive a reply. Mrs. Gilbert advised the Parish Council that she would serve a provisional Tree Preservation Order in the interim if she felt a response was not forthcoming.  Mrs. Gilbert was particularly interested in the effects of a drain run that lay directly under the extension to the property in Lodge Lane (where the majority of the damage to the dwelling had occurred), which Marishal Thompson had suggested had been adversely affected by the tree.

Damage to the Pavilion : Members noted that between meetings, two window panes in the pavilion had been damaged. The cracked window panes appeared to have been damaged by a football (The Fox & Hounds had been the last team to play before the damage was reported, although the damage could not be attributed to their players). In addition, a hole had been made in one of the pavilion doors. It was noted that Gary Lynch had been asked to repair the damage and had also mended the leaking hot water tap.

Members noted that further to the Parish Council’s request for clarification regarding the Purleigh Emergency Group’s access to the village hall key (See Minute 7/09/10), Marlene Shepherd (Purleigh Village Hall Management Committee) had verbally advised the Parish Council that she and Mrs. Clark were the current key holders and that the issuing of keys to regular user groups would be reviewed once new hall booking forms had been finalised, accepted, signed and returned.

8.1/10/10 To consider purchasing a wreath for Remembrance Sunday: It was unanimously agreed to purchase a wreath to be laid at the War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday. The Clerk agreed to provide Mr. Don Nowell with the sum of £25 (from Petty Cash) and to ask him to purchase a wreath, which Mr. Ascott agreed to lay on behalf of the Parish Council at the Remembrance Day Service.

Members noted that the wreath would be purchased pursuant to s137 of the Local Government Act 1972.

8.2/10/10 To receive a Statement of Accounts for the period 1^st April 2010 – 30^th September 2010: It was proposed and unanimously agreed to approve the Statement of Accounts for the period 1^st April 2010 to 30^th September 2010:

Bank statements detailing the transactions to date in all four of the Parish Council’s bank accounts for the period 1^st April 2010 to 30^th September 2010 were available at the meeting for Members’ inspection, as part of the internal audit process.

8.3/10/10 To carry out a financial review 2010/2011 and consider forward estimates 2011/2012: Members considered a detailed breakdown of income and expenditure for the period 1^st April 2010 to 30^th September 2010; estimated income and expenditure for the financial year 2010/2011 and a breakdown of anticipated income and expenditure 2011/2012.

This review formed part of the Parish Council’s internal audit procedure as required by the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003, Regulation 6 as amended by the Accounts and Audit (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2006.

8.4/10/10 Legacy from Janet Pawsey: Members noted that the Parish Council had received an interim distribution payment from Miss Pawsey’s estate in the sum of £3,600. It was agreed that as the remainder of Mr. May’s legacy had been spent on new chairs for the pavilion, Miss Pawsey’s legacy should be paid into that account (Barclays Bank High Interest Business Account number 90802476) and the account re-named accordingly.

8.5/10/10 To receive a report of receipts: Members received a report of the following receipts:

8.6/10/10 To approve payment of accounts between meetings: Members noted and approved that the following accounts had been paid between meetings, adhering strictly to the procedures outlined in the Parish Council’s Financial Regulations 5.3 - 5.7.

8.7/10/10 To approve payment of accounts to hand: It was unanimously agreed to approve payment of the following accounts to hand:

Village Agents review: Members noted that the Village Agent Mid Essex pilot project was reaching its anniversary and funders were reviewing the value of the service. Christine McDonald, Purleigh’s Village Agent, asked if Purleigh Parish Council would be willing to support the project by putting forward its views on the service.